Who's Doing What

Find out who was hired, what companies were acquired, and which smart bidders won contracts since the start of 2011.

Feb 05, 2011

Since January, job movement in the industry seems to be steady while mergers and acquisition may have slowed. We have compiled these briefs so you can gauge how the industry is doing for yourself.

MOVERS

Riek Is VP of Recycling at Veolia Environmental ServicesJim Long, president and CEO of Veolia ES Solid Waste Inc., announced the appointment of Tom Riek to vice president of Recycling, a newly created position within the company.

Riek will continue to define Veolia’s recycling strategy, improve processes, and develop new capabilities to enhance the company’s offerings to customers. Prior to his appointment, Riek worked with the company as a partner of Pebble Creek Partners, LLC.

“Our vision is ‘to be the company trusted by all to provide innovative, comprehensive and sustainable solutions.’ Tom’s experience and expertise in various facets of our industry will serve us well as we continue to move forward with our goals,” said Long in an internal statement.

Formerly, Riek served as CEO of the Container Recycling Alliance and as chief financial officer of the Recycle America Alliance, Inc. He has more than 25 years of general management, operational, finance, and accounting experience in the waste industry.

Engineers Without Borders Makes Harpstead Its LeaderDaniel L. Harpstead, P.E., has been elected the next president of Engineers Without Borders (EWB-USA). He will serve as president-elect throughout 2011, transitioning into his term as president on Jan. 1, 2012.

Harpstead, Kleinfelder's vice president and technical discipline lead for engineering and architecture and based out of the company's office in Exton, Pa., has spent 34 years as an engineer and 20 years overseeing technical activities for challenging projects, with an emphasis on urban fill, risk management, and environmental remediation.

He has served several years on the EWB-USA board of directors and as treasurer for the past two years. Harpstead will be responsible for guiding the strategic growth of the organization and leading EWB-USA’s transition to increased financial stability, enabling the implementation of important projects around the world.

EWB-USA grew from little more than a handful of members in 2002 to more than 12,000 today. The organization has more than 350 projects in over 45 developing countries around the world, providing solutions to issues involving water, renewable energy, sanitation and more.

GE Hitachi Taps HamiltonGE Hitachi Nuclear Energy has named nuclear industry veteran Steve Hamilton as its new global quality leader as the U.S.-based nuclear energy alliance company is preparing to deliver new reactor projects around the world. Hamilton has more than 29 years experience working in the nuclear industry, including 12 years at Progress Energy’s Brunswick Nuclear Station in North Carolina, where he held positions with responsibilities in radiation protection, radioactive waste management, chemistry, environmental monitoring, and outage management.He then became president of PN Services, which specializes in the chemical cleaning and decontamination of nuclear reactors, as well as for Waste Management Technical Services, a company responsible for shipping cask design, manufacturing, and transport of nuclear material, environmental monitorin,g and training at the U.S. Department of Energy’s Hanford Site in Washington. Hamilton also served as vice president of quality and performance for the French nuclear technology company, AREVA, Inc., reporting directly to the CEO of the company’s North America division.

TAPPI Announces 2011 Board MembersTAPPI, a worldwide pulp, paper, packaging and converting industries association, has named Norman F. Marsolan, Ph.D., director, IPST, and chemical engineering professor at Georgia Tech, Atlanta, Ga., board chair for a two-year term beginning March 2011. He previously was director of Research & Development at International Paper Company after having held leadership and management assignments in process control, technology, and operations.

Other officers and directors are Thomas J. Garland, president and CEO, PaperWorks Industries Inc., Philadelphia, Pa., who will serve a two-year term as vice chair; Markku Karlsson, senior vice president of Technology, UPM-Kymmene Corporation; Sandra L. LeBarron, director of Environmental, Health and Safety, Finch Papers; and Bob Snyder, president and CEO, Orchids Paper Products Company.

Lewis Re-Elected Chair of National Lighting BureauHoward P. Lewis, representing the Illuminating Engineering Society of North America (IES), has been re-elected chair of the National Lighting Bureau. The Bureau is an independent, not-for-profit, lighting-education organization sponsored by professional societies, trade associations, manufacturers, utilities, and agencies of the U.S. government.

Lewis is the president of Lighting Alternatives, a fluorescent fixture manufacturer headquartered in Cherry Hill, N.J.

CalDesal Hires Davis as Executive DirectorCalDesal, the state’s leading advocacy group in support of water desalination, has hired longtime water policy expert Ron Davis as its first executive director.

Davis’ main task is to grow the year-old association’s membership and spearhead its efforts to become a major voice for desalination among regulators and elected officials at the local and state levels.Davis joins CalDesal following six years as the state legislative director for the Association of California Water Agencies.

Previously of Irell & Manella LLP, McNeil has more than 25 years of experience representing operators, developers, manufacturers, and other industrial businesses in defending or prosecuting environmental claims.

He represents clients in cost recovery actions involving contaminated properties and counsels clients in the purchasing, selling, or leasing of environmentally contaminated properties. He frequently represents businesses before regulatory agencies such as federal EPA, Cal-EPA, the South Coast Air Quality Management District and other air agencies, the Department of Toxic Substances Control, the California Energy Commission and various Regional Water Quality Control Boards in litigation and in administrative proceedings.

He received his JD from the University of California Berkley Boalt Hall School of Law, where he was on the California Law Review, and he received his BA from Yale University.

Kitterman Is New President of AclaraAclara has named Brad Kitterman company president.

Kitterman is a utility-industry veteran who has served as president of Schlumberger’s North America Utilities Division, where under his leadership revenues doubled from $300-$600 million in four years through both internal growth and acquisitions such as Cellnet Data Systems and Convergent Group. He began his career at Schlumberger as a development engineer in its Electricity Metering Division and also led its North American Engineering Group.

He served most recently as president and CEO of Asahi Glass Company’s North America Division.

Keep America Beautiful Appoints Johnson to BoardAnne Johnson joined GreenBlue in 2005 as a program director. Trained as an engineer and scientist with a background in management and sustainability consulting, she has more than 15 years of experience in materials, industrial processes, environmental management, and systems evaluation of products and packaging.

At the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, she has helped develop Definition of Sustainable Packaging design guidelines for packaging, environmental technical briefs on packaging materials, indicator and metrics for sustainable packaging, and a comparative package design software application called COMPASS, which uses life cycle metrics and packaging characteristics to evaluate the environmental impacts of packaging across its life cycle.

AWWA Says Anderson Is Next President-electThe Board of Directors of the American Water Works Association announced that its next president-elect will be Charlie Anderson, who currently works part-time with CDM, a global consulting, engineering, construction, and operations firm.

Anderson will assume his new position at AWWA’s Annual Conference & Exposition in Washington, D.C. in June and will begin his year-long term as president in 2012.

He has worked in all areas of utility operations, including water resources, infrastructure, and workforce development. He retired from the city of Arlington, Texas, as deputy city manager in 2005.

Marstel-Day, LLC Welcomes Hoar as Ecosystem Services Program Manager.Peter Hoar will be coordinating development and implementation of ecosystem services components into current and future Marstel-Day land use, conservation planning, and other ecological and climate-related projects. He will also undertake development efforts for the company’s ecosystem services and conservation business lines with resource management and regulatory agencies, non-profit organizations, universities and others.

He also represented Kuwait before the United Nations Compensation Commission for remediation and restoration of ecological damages to the Kuwait coast resulting from the first Gulf war and for development of an international marine protected area (MPA) in the Arabian Gulf.

Previously, he was coastal ecosystem program manager for the NOAA National Coastal Data Development Center, was manager of the Grand Bay National Estuarine Research Reserve in Mississippi, and implemented marine fishery science and policy for the National Marine Fisheries Service, and the States of Florida and Massachusetts.

Box Joins Lockwood, Andrews & NewnamThelma Flores Box, P.E., joined Lockwood, Andrews & Newnam, Inc. as director of engineering for the firm’s Infrastructure Extended Texas Business Group. In this role, Box will direct the activities of infrastructure staff in the Dallas and Fort Worth offices.

A nationally renowned water and wastewater treatment expert, Box brings more than 25 years of experience in the development, design, construction, and management of complex water and wastewater treatment projects for public sector clients.

Prior to joining LAN, she served as the Dallas-Fort Worth municipal projects section leader, where she managed the planning, design, and construction of projects with budgets of up to $50 million. She has worked on wastewater facilities ranging from small septic systems to large advanced wastewater treatment plants.

She is a doctoral candidate in civil and environmental engineering at the University of Texas at Arlington, where she earned a master's degree in civil and environmental engineering.

Marroquin to Market Washington Water Program for HDRShirley Marroquin has joined HDR as the manager of Washington’s Water marketing program. She is based in the firm’s Bellevue, Wash., office.

Marroquin will be responsible for strategic marketing planning, client liaison and client service management, pursuit leadership and support in Washington State, and overall management of Washington's Water marketing program.

Prior to joining HDR, Marroquin was the unit manager for planning and asset management at King County Wastewater Treatment Division. Her regional utility experience includes managing the wastewater environmental planning program and leading both the state and national environmental policy act processes and Habitat Conservation Plan for the Brightwater treatment plant. She also managed the public involvement program for wastewater planning, and design and construction projects.

Staples Is New ISA PresidentThe International Society of Automation (ISA) welcomes H. L. “Leo” Staples as its 2011 president. Staples has been an ISA member since 1989 and a Fellow since 2009. He is a member of the Greater Oklahoma Section.

He has vast experience in section, district, department, division, and Society activities, including serving as district vice president and chair of the Council of District Vice Presidents and three terms on the ISA Executive Board as Society treasurer. Staples is an active participant in ISA’s Power Industry Division and has authored and delivered several papers at various symposia. He recently published his first book through ISA, Project management: A Technician’s Guide.

He is a compliance management leader at Power Supply Division, Oklahoma Gas and Electric (OG&E). He began his career with OG&E in 1978 at the company’s Horseshoe Lake Power Plant. He is a Level III Certified Control Systems Technician and a Level IV Senior Engineering Technician-Industrial Instrumentation through the National Institute for Certification in Engineering Technologies.

MERGERS & ACQUISITIONS

AMEC Buys BCI Engineers AMEC, the international engineering and project management company, has acquired BCI Engineers and Scientists, Inc., a Florida-based consulting firm focused on the water and mining sectors.

Established more than 30 years ago, BCI is a diversified environmental, water resources, geotechnical, civil and forensic engineering firm. Headquartered in Lakeland, Fla., the company employs nearly 200 engineers, scientists, and other professionals in seven offices.

“This acquisition is consistent with our Vision 2015 growth strategy in the water and mining sectors, as well as expansion in the Southeast U.S.,” said Hisham Mahmoud, president of AMEC’s Earth & Environmental business. “BCI’s talented professionals, locations, services, and excellent client relationships make the company a good fit for us.”

“By joining AMEC, we will add value for our clients and our staff,” said BCI President Richard Powers. “As part of a growing and dynamic global organization, we will be able to better serve our clients nationally and internationally, while generating new technical and professional opportunities for our staff.”

GE Completes $3B Buyout of Dresser GE announced the successful closing of its $3 billion acquisition of Dresser, Inc., a global energy infrastructure technology and service provider, from funds managed by Riverstone Holdings LLC and First Reserve Corporation, Dresser management and its other stockholders.

Dresser, based in Addison, Texas, has 6,300 employees worldwide and delivers compression, flow technology, measurement and distribution infrastructure, and services to customers in more than 150 countries. The Dresser businesses will be integrated into GE’s Energy Services and Power & Water business units.

“GE and Dresser are a natural fit together. We share a commitment to technology and innovation and we have many common customers in the energy space,” said John Krenicki, vice chair of GE and president and CEO of GE Energy. “We are building an integration strategy that will capitalize on both companies’ existing expertise and strengths. We highly value the new employees who have just joined GE. Their skills and experience were key factors in our decision to acquire this business.”

Dresser has a global franchise with 60 percent of its revenues outside of North America. The company is a leader in providing highly engineered infrastructure products and services for the energy industry. Its portfolio includes valves, actuators, meters, switches, regulators, piping products, natural gas-fueled engines for compression, retail fuel dispensers and associated retail point-of-sale systems and air and gas handling equipment.

First Solar Acquires, Will Sell Amherstburg II Solar Project First Solar Inc. and Helios Energy Inc. announced that First Solar has completed the acquisition of Helios Energy’s Amherstburg II Solar Project, consisting of two separate facilities, which, together, total 15 megawatts (MW).

Simultaneous with this transaction, First Solar and Enbridge Inc. announced they have entered into an agreement in which Enbridge will acquire the Amherstburg II Solar Project from First Solar. First Solar will continue developing the facilities and will provide engineering, procurement, and construction services as well as operations and maintenance services under long-term contracts. Construction is expected to begin in March.

"Amherstburg II will continue to expand Ontario’s supply of clean, affordable, sustainable solar energy,” said Peter Carrie, First Solar vice president of Business Development for Canada. “We are pleased to have worked with Helios Energy and look forward to bringing the project to completion this summer."

The Amherstburg II Solar Project will create between 300 and 400 construction jobs, generate tax revenues for various levels of government, and create economic benefits for local businesses. The project will sell its power to the Ontario Power Authority pursuant to 20-year Power Purchase Agreements under the terms of the Renewable Energy Standard Offer Program.

CONTRACT WINNERS

SCS Engineers to Serve San Diego as Compliance ConsultantThe city of San Diego has retained SCS Engineers on a $1.9 million contract to provide professional services that will assist the city in complying with California and federal climate change regulations pertaining to landfills.

The consultant will ensure that the city meets the requirements of Assembly Bill 32 (AB32), which seeks to reduce methane emissions from landfills by requiring owners and operators of uncontrolled landfills to install landfill gas collection and control systems (GCCSs) and by requiring existing and newly installed GCCSs to operate optimally.

“Under AB32 the city is also required to report its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and to collect accurate and timely emissions data,” said Principal in Charge Pat Sullivan..

Beyond AB32, SCS will also assist the city in meeting its obligations under the federal GHG programs. “SCS has managed several similar projects that called for the evaluation of applicability and compliance status with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s GHG mandatory reporting rule. We will ensure that the city is in compliance with these environmental safeguards.”

Industrial Nanotech Wins San Jose Project Industrial Nanotech, Inc. has won the bidding process for a purchase contract by the city of San Jose, Calif., to provide its patented Nansulate Translucent GP insulation and mold resistance coating in support of San Jose Water Pollution Control Plant /Environmental Services Department requirements. The project bid is for 150 gallons.

The company has also received an order from its Louisiana Distributor, Russo Environmental Materials, for a trial project by the Lafayette Consolidated Government, for Translucent High Heat, GP, and PT thermal insulation and asset protection coatings.

“We appreciate the opportunity to provide an energy efficient solution for the City of San Jose, California and the Lafayette Consolidated Government in Louisiana,” stated Francesca Crolley, vice president of Business Development for Industrial Nanotech, Inc. “For the city of San Jose project, Nansulate Translucent GP will be used for thermal insulation on concrete digesters to reduce heat loss, increasing the energy efficiency of the system, while offering a durable solution that will stand up to exterior weathering.”

Air Products Picks Resource Environmental Solutions for MitigationResource Environmental Solutions, LLC was awarded a contract by Air Products to mitigate for unavoidable impacts to forested wetlands in the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers’ New Orleans District along the Louisiana segment of the 180-mile interstate Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline project.

Wetland mitigation activities for this project include restoration of natural hydrologic flows, planting of bottomland hardwood forest and bald cypress swamp species, and providing long-term monitoring, maintenance, and financial assurances throughout the life of the mitigation site.

With the construction of a new hydrogen pipeline connecting its existing Louisiana and Texas hydrogen pipeline systems, Air Products is creating the world’s largest hydrogen plant and pipeline supply network. The new Gulf Coast hydrogen pipeline network is expected to be operational in mid-2012.

Elliott Bouillion, president and CEO of RES, said, “We are delighted to be in the position to supply a tailored wetland mitigation solution to Air Products for this strategic segment of their hydrogen pipeline supply network that spans from the Houston Ship Channel in Texas to New Orleans, Louisiana."

New Orleans Hires Echologics EngineeringThe city of New Orleans has selected Echologics Engineering Inc., to oversee its water-loss management and water pipe integrity assessment initiative, which includes leak detection, pipe condition assessment, and water meter calibration and maintenance.

The Sewerage and Water Board of New Orleans (SWBNO) selected the company following a competitive bid process for the one-year contract, which is renewable for a second year.

The company's core technology uses a proprietary acoustic-based leak detection system to assess the structural condition of selected water pipes. The technology was developed jointly with the National Research Council of Canada. Echologics will help New Orleans prioritize water pipes that require rehabilitation or replacement.

During a pilot project, the company located water main leaks that were causing between 75,000 and 100,000 gallons per day (300,000 - 400,000 liters per day) of water loss.

PBS&J to Help Upgrade Visitor Center in California The National Park Service (NPS) is rehabilitating and updating the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Administrative Complex in Death Valley National Park to conform with sustainable building and energy efficiency practices. The project is being designed to meet U.S. Green Building Council’s Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) certification standards.

NPS selected PBS&J, an Atkins company, to fill the role of construction management and inspection services provider as the center is built.

Constructed in 1959-60, the Furnace Creek Visitor Center and Administrative Complex are uninsulated brick buildings that serve as the park’s information hub throughout the year, including summer months when outside temperatures easily extend beyond 110 degrees.

To meet LEED Gold standards, solar power and insulation are two major energy efficiency objectives of the project that will reduce its carbon footprint. Photovoltaic panels will be installed to provide alternative electricity. Thermo pane windows, and ceiling and wall insulation will be incorporated into the renovated structures, as well as airlocks to ease the transition between the exterior and interior temperatures during the summer months. Mechanical, electrical, and other systems will be updated to current codes. Other visitor facilities will be added, and redesigned public parking will be expanded for safer traffic flow.